Organic and inorganic components in estuarine colloids: Implications for sorption and transport of pollutants

Journal Article · Sun Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1989 · Reviews of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-3342-8_3· OSTI ID:7192561

Sigleo, A C; Means, J C ^[1]

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1. Geological Survey, Lakewood, CO (USA)

In colloids isolated from Chesapeake Bay and its subestuaries the concentrations of Al, Fe, and a number of trace elements were determined to vary with the clay mineral fraction that was most abundant in freshwater samples collected during the winter. The elements As, Ba, Sb, and Zn, however, increased with increasing organic content, indicating a covariance with the organic component. Organic analyses for amino acids, carbohydrates, and lipids indicate that these biopolymers comprised 4 to 22%, 20 to 60%, and less than 1%, respectively, of the colloidal organic carbon in these samples. The results are significant because amino acids and carbohydrates contain oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur functional groups capable of reacting with trace metals and organic pollutants. The sorption properties of several neutral hydrophobic organic compounds, including PAHs and herbicides, and several aromatic amines were investigated using the estuarine colloidal material. The effects of several environmental variables on these sorption properties were determined. The results indicate that colloids have the capacity to sorb and transport relatively insoluble pollutants that otherwise might remain immobile in the environment. Colloidal organic matter in natural water systems may serve as substrates for the sorption or binding of organic contaminants. Although most of the data has been developed using neutral hydrophobic organic compounds, data also exist for selected polar compound groups such as aromatic amines. The chemical behavior of these compound groups in interaction with DOM appears to have some similarity to their chemical interaction with sediments and soils. Partitioning constants are linear, except for polar compounds, and appear to be closely correlated to fundamental compound properties such as solubilities and octanol-water partition coefficients. 84 references.

• OSTI ID: 7192561
• Journal Information: Reviews of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology; (USA), Journal Name: Reviews of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology; (USA) Vol. 112; ISSN 0179-5953; ISSN RCTOE
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540320* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
ALUMINIUM
AMINO ACIDS
ANTIMONY
AROMATICS
ARSENIC
ATLANTIC OCEAN
BARIUM
BAYS
CARBOHYDRATES
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
CHEMISTRY
CHESAPEAKE BAY
COLLOIDS
DISPERSIONS
DOCUMENT TYPES
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
ESTUARIES
HERBICIDES
HYDROCARBONS
IRON
MASS TRANSFER
METALS
MONITORING
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC MATTER
PESTICIDES
POLLUTION
POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
REVIEWS
SEAS
SEMIMETALS
SURFACE WATERS
TRACE AMOUNTS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
WATER CHEMISTRY
WATER POLLUTION
ZINC